Dragonheart (franchise)
A fantasy franchise about dragons and knights.
Dragonheart (often written as DragonHeart) is a media franchise owned by Universal Pictures. It started with a 1996 film directed by Rob Cohen and written by Charles Edward Pogue, based on a story Pogue created with Patrick Read Johnson. After the movie did moderate business at the box office but sold well on home video, the franchise grew to include a direct-to-video sequel, three prequels, and merchandise such as toys, trading cards, and books.
The first film takes place during the Dark Ages. A young Anglo-Saxon prince named Einon is wounded during a peasant rebellion that also kills his cruel father, King Freyne. Einon’s mother, Queen Aislinn, brings him to a dragon that gives the boy half its heart, on the condition that Einon rule with honor. When Einon breaks his promise, his former mentor, Sir Bowen—a knight of the Old Code—blames the dragon’s heart for corrupting the king and swears revenge. Twelve years later, Einon rules even more brutally than his father, and Bowen has become a bitter dragonslayer. During one hunt, he meets a traveling monk named Brother Gilbert and soon encounters the last dragon alive. Their fight ends in a draw, so they decide to work together, staging fake dragon slayings to trick villagers for money. They become friends, and Bowen names the dragon Draco after the constellation. They join a peasant woman named Kara, who is trying to start a rebellion against Einon. To free the land from tyranny, Bowen and his allies realize they must make a great sacrifice.
The sequel, *Dragonheart: A New Beginning*, is set decades later. An elderly Bowen finds a dragon egg in Draco’s cave a year before his death. A prophecy says a dragon’s heart will doom humanity when a two-tailed comet arrives, so Bowen leaves the egg with Brother Gilbert’s monastery. The friars promise to hide the dragon until the comet passes. Twenty years later, eight days before the comet is due, the king appoints Lord Osric as his chief advisor, and a novice monk named Mansel is put in charge of the dragon. Meanwhile, two people from Hebei Province—Master Kwan and Empress Lian—seek the dragon to stop the prophecy. Geoff, an orphaned stable boy at the monastery, befriends the young dragon, named Drake, hidden in the dungeon.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Dragonheart
- Creator
- Universal Pictures / Patrick Read Johnson / Charles Edward Pogue
- Origin
- Dragonheart (1996)
- Owner
- Universal Pictures
- Novels
- Dragonheart (1996) / Dragonheart: Junior Novelization (1999)
- Comics
- Dragonheart #1-2 (1996) (Topps Comics)
- Direct-To-Video
- Dragonheart: A New Beginning (2000) / Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse (2015) / Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire (2017) / Dragonheart: Vengeance (2020)
- Video Games
- Dragonheart: Fire & Steel (1996) / Dragonheart Medieval Creativity Center (1996)
- Soundtracks
- Dragonheart (1996) / Dragonheart: A New Beginning (2000) / Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse (2015) / Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire (2017) / Dragonheart: Vengeance (2020)
- Toys
- Kenner Products / Revell
- Years
- 1996-present
- Music
- "My Heart Goes With You" (2000)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The franchise began with Dragonheart (1996), set during the Dark Ages, where a young prince Einon is wounded in a peasant rebellion and shares half his heart with a dragon on the condition he rule with honor. When Einon becomes a brutal king, his former mentor Sir Bowen becomes a dragonslayer, eventually befriending the last dragon, Draco. The sequel Dragonheart: A New Beginning (2000) follows decades later, with an elderly Bowen leaving a dragon egg at a monastery; a novice monk and a stable boy befriend the young dragon Drake as a prophecy about a two-tailed comet approaches.
Three prequels followed. Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse (2015) is set in 9th century Northern Britain, where a squire named Gareth bonds with a dragon named Drago after a meteor crash, and they must stop a druid's reign of terror. Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire (2017) takes place roughly 50 years later, following King Gareth's death and his grandson Edric, who bonds with Drago and must resolve a rivalry with his twin sister Mehgan over the throne. Dragonheart: Vengeance (2020) follows a young farm boy Lukas who enlists a mercenary and an ice-breathing dragon Siveth to avenge his family's murder, uncovering a political conspiracy.
Reader's Guide
The Dragonheart franchise is significant as a long-running fantasy series that expanded from a theatrical film into a series of direct-to-video sequels and prequels, sustained by strong home media sales. Its central themes include sacrifice, honor, courage, and conquering evil, with dragons often serving as moral guides for humans who have lost their way. The recurring element of heart sharing—where a dragon shares half its heart with a human, granting shared strength and pain—distinguishes the series, as does the Old Code, a code of chivalry originating from King Arthur. The franchise's legacy lies in its exploration of knighthood and redemption across multiple time periods, with each film featuring a different dragon and human pairing. The films vary in rating and runtime, with A New Beginning being the only PG-rated entry and the shortest.
Did You Know?
- Dragonheart: A New Beginning is the only film in the franchise with a female screenwriter and an original song.
- The Old Code, mentioned in most films, originates from King Arthur and his knights, with a complete version revealed in the novelization.
- Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse is chronologically the first film in the series.
- Dragonheart: Vengeance includes flashbacks that begin between Dragonheart 3 and 4 and end after the latter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dragonheart?
Dragonheart is a fantasy film franchise from Universal Pictures that began with a 1996 movie about a dragon forming a deep bond with a human warrior during the Dark Ages. The series grew into five films total, running from 1996 through 2020, and also spawned toys, trading cards, and books.
Who voices the dragon in the original Dragonheart film?
Sean Connery provided the voice of Draco, the dragon who becomes the emotional heart of the 1996 story. He pairs on screen with Dennis Quaid, who plays the Anglo-Saxon prince Einon that Draco bonds with.
How does the first Dragonheart movie end?
Draco gives up his own life to save Einon, sacrificing himself so the wounded prince can live. This final act of selfless devotion is the emotional climax of the original film and sets the tone for the franchise's focus on sacrifice.
How many Dragonheart films exist and what are they?
There are five films in total: the 1996 theatrical original, a direct-to-video sequel, and three prequels released between 2000 and 2020. All were produced under the Universal Pictures banner and share the same dragon-and-knight fantasy world.
What are the main themes of the Dragonheart franchise?
The series consistently explores chivalric duty, personal sacrifice, and the courage required to confront evil. Whether through the bond between a dragon and his human partner or the broader quest to defeat a dark force, honor and knighthood remain the moral backbone of every entry.
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